Chapter Nine - Part Three

“And your parents?” I said, choosing to ignore the fact that he seemed not to care whether Laiken ever returned. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, and the brokenness of his family. “What about them?”

“Dead, for a long time now. They were murdered.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, really –”

“Don’t be.” Tidus replied again, ominously studying his wine glass. “I’m not.”

But this time, Tidus hadn’t managed to mask his lie so well. I had seen another flicker in his eyes, a flash of something that I finally recognized as grief. He mourned, even if he refused to admit it.

“You know, it’s a pity you never got to meet your father.” Tidus remarked suddenly, no longer concentrating on his wine. “The few times that I did come across him he was always respectful, and he spoke carefully. I admired him for that.”

“Well, I wish I could say that the rest of my family share the same qualities but, sadly, they do not.” I said, suddenly feeling full and pushing aside the rest of my food. “What’s it to you, anyway? I didn’t think you had that much tolerance for my family.”

“And you’re right, I don’t.” He replied spitefully. “But Charles Noble has done nothing to either strengthen or improve vampire-werewolf relations, and for me, that’s a problem.”

“Ah,” I said, instantly enlightened. “And the truth comes out. I knew you didn’t agree to let me come with you to New York just to be nice.”

“I have an offer for you –”

“Yeah, and I already have an answer – no.”

“But, what if we can both get what we want?” Tidus asked, in wide-eyed virtue. “One day, you plan on taking over the Leadership, right? And I want my seat back on the Council. And one way for us to achieve that, faster, is to get rid of Charles.”

All I could do was stare at Tidus as I analyzed the unexpected offer that he had just placed on the table.

“A few years ago, Harbor Village was having issues with a group of rogue Hunters that were picking off random members of the Revenant. And of course, Charles did nothing to intervene. So the Council was forced to take care of the problem on their own. And unfortunately for the Leadership, their feelings are still hurt, so, they’ve outfitted me with a task: I have Charles removed from the Eldership, and I get my seat back on the Council.”

“Look, I realize the Garou have had a bad habit of turning their backs on other Supernaturals, but do you honestly think that I would help you to get rid of the Elder?” I asked, astonished. This was too presumptuous, even for him.

“You haven’t figured it out yet, but you’ll understand soon, Naomi.” Tidus said, leaning forward and snaring me in his gaze. “Charles is nothing like your father. He doesn’t care about the happiness of each individual, he cares about your Pack as a whole. There is no you or him or her. There is just the Pack, and he will do anything to preserve it – even if it means sacrificing a few of his own. Anyone beneath him is just a pawn in his game… starting with you. You don’t fit the mold for his Leadership – you’re too defiant. Which means you should probably get rid of him, before he gets rid of you…”

“Charles wouldn’t go that far.” I said, stiff with resentment. “And I am not a pawn.”

“Oh, but you are.” he insisted. “Because by making you a Leader, he’s got you right where he wants you. He’s put you in the spotlight, and now he now he can